When I first met Michelle, not only she had physical pain, but emotionally she was hurting.
San Jose, CA (PRWEB) September 03, 2013
Dr. Thomas J. Hirai of Advanced Surgical Associates announced today that patient, Michelle Maes, is no longer a victim of the obesity epidemic plaguing this country, because of the latest advancements in bariatric surgery. — especially for those who have not experienced long-term weight loss success through other means. Weight loss can be achieved through various procedures or a combination of them.
Prior to making a decision on choosing to get weight-loss surgery, Michelle reached an all time high of 317 lbs. For Michelle’s height and weight, her BMI was 48. Anyone with a BMI above 40 is considered morbidly obese. The conditions that may arise from this level are hypertension, increased risks for stroke and cardiac arrest, severe acid reflux, to name a few.
When Michelle had her first grandchild in her late thirties, she decided to make a change for the better and for the future of her children and grandchildren. Today, she has 3 children of her own, 4 grandchildren and 6 stepchildren. Michelle wanted to enjoy her life with her family and couldn’t find the energy to keep up. She recalled eating fast food 4 days out of the week, and her family did the same. After “yo-yo” dieting, cutting out sugary drinks and fast food, even exercising often, she was only able to lose 30 lbs., after which she gained it back. Furthermore, she was unable to wean off multiple medications her doctor had prescribed.
After consulting with her family doctor, she chose Dr. Thomas J. Hirai of Advanced Surgical Associates in San Jose, to be her surgeon for weight-loss surgery.
“When I first met Michelle, not only she had physical pain, but emotionally she was hurting,” Dr. Hirai recalled.
There are several options for bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass, LAP-BAND® and sleeve gastrectomy. “I went over the options with Michelle and her husband, the pros and cons, and we decided together that laparoscopic gastric sleeve was going to be the best option for her for optimal results,” Dr. Hirai said.
During the sleeve gastrectomy, the surgeon creates a small, tubular shaped stomach. This procedure is recommended for individuals with BMI over 40, or 35 and above if they also have obesity related comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea. Dr. Thomas Hirai also specializes in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. This means that the painful recovery that usually follows is decreased with the minimally invasive approach, and the patient is left with tiny scars.
Michelle had her surgery on June 3rd, 2013. As of this report, she has already lost 67 lbs., bringing her down to 250 lbs. She is still losing weight every day.
“I can’t be happier with the decision I made. This wasn’t just about me; it was about my family, and their happiness. They didn’t want to see me suffer any longer,” said Michelle.
Many patients like Michelle under the care of Dr. Hirai, have experienced tremendous positive results, such as improved energy and stamina, lowered heart disease and many other health risks and improved outlook of their future.
Today, Michelle is busy with her new lifestyle. She’s joined two local support groups for women, and you can usually find her at the park with her grandchildren enjoying the activities she couldn’t before.
“My outlook on life couldn’t be better. I’m at a very happy place in my life and couldn’t ask for a better support team or a better doctor like Dr. Hirai. This is just the beginning and I hope by sharing my story with others, it’ll will inspire women out there like me to make a decision to be in their future,” said Michelle.
Dr. Thomas Hirai now takes the charge of bariatric surgery division of Advanced Surgical Associates, with this goal in mind: “To provide compassionate, individualized care and guide each patient on the road to optimal health.”
About Advanced Surgical Associates
Advanced Surgical Associates is a general, minimally invasive, and bariatric surgery practice comprised of Drs. Huy Nguyen, Nang Nguyen, Thomas Hirai and Christopher Kim. Advanced Surgical Associates pioneered and specialized in single incision laparoscopic surgeries for colon resection, gallbladder removal and sleeve gastrectomy, through a small 2 cm. incision at the umbilicus, providing patients with less pain, shorter recovery time and improved cosmesis. Also, the group is the first in the nation to adopt robotic single site laparoscopic cholecystectomy and have dedicated surgeons to mastering this skill. In addition, surgeons have performed over 1200 SILS (Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery) procedures for gallbladder, colon, and bariatric surgery, placing them among the leaders nationally and internationally. Advanced Surgical Associates is also known as an epicenter of surgical training for SILS and have trained over 500 surgeons.
To learn more about Advanced Surgical Associates, visit http://www.asamed.net or http://www.feelthinnow.com
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